Arizona freshman forward Omar Thielemans to transfer
Oct 17, 2018, 9:47 AM | Updated: 9:48 am
Arizona head coach Sean Miller answers questions during the Pac-12 NCAA college basketball media day Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
(AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
Four-star recruit and freshman Omar Thielemans has elected to leave the Arizona program before playing a game for the Wildcats, the school announced Wednesday.
The Belgian product and member of the 2018 recruiting class will transfer.
“Omar is a great young man, and we wish him the best going forward,” head coach Sean Miller said in a statement.
The 6-foot-7, 200-pound Thielemans was the 120th-ranked player and 28th-rated small forward in this year’s recruiting class, according to 247 Sports. He joined Arizona along with four-star guards Brandon Williams and Devonaire Doutrive.
Thielemans did not attend Arizona’s Red-Blue scrimmage that took place Saturday, raising the possibility that he might leave the team.
Miller told reporters over the weekend Thielemans was out due to personal reasons.
Considered a developmental player, Thielemans would likely have seen limited playing time this season behind senior power forward and transfer Ryan Luther, sophomore power forward Ira Lee, wings Brandon Randolph and Emmanuel Akot, and redshirt junior big man Chase Jeter in the frontcourt rotation.
